Srinagar, July 16: In a glaring instance of official apathy, Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officers of 2004 and 2008 batches, who qualified the three–tier examination, are allegedly facing stagnation on specific posts for years together.
 A group of direct-recruit KAS officers told Greater Kashmir that their respective departments have “failed to formulate the basic seniority list while showering undue benefits of promotion and seniority to promotees.”
 “We have been made the victims of unwarranted seniority mess for years together,” they alleged. “The Departments are yet to fix the basic seniority, not to talk of addressing other issues.”
 The officers said that “Due to the confirmation of promotes, the seniority list of direct recruits is not formulated and is pending for years.”
 They said the KAS rules, revised in 2008 vide SRO-386, make it clear that the Combined Service Officers be promoted in a four-year time frame. “The new rules were implemented prospectively but ironically 2004 and 2008 batches were left out. The junior officers who qualified KAS have attained seniority while as the two batches are the victims of extreme disparity due to petty seniority issues,” they said.
 The officers said their seniors have reached the level of HODs, officers of 2004 batch who qualified the same exam are still stagnant at the grade of Assistant Director.
 “We are suffering because the departments are not taking interest in addressing the seniority issues. We request the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally intervene in the matter,” they said.
 The officers said the General Administration Department must also look into the issue to resolve it without any delay. “Such kind of a messy situation would obviously mar the enthusiasm of officers, who are made to look after such issues rather than do some productive work,” they said. “What is surprising is that the departments are taking the issue casually despite knowing its sensitivity and importance to officers. Therefore it is the moral responsibility of the GAD authorities to get the issue addressed.”

Lastupdate on : Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST